Good concept, poorly executed.

Fantastic!

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

I can see where many people would walk away from this movie thinking it was stupid. Well, in some ways it IS stupid. It's not highbrow after all.Here's the skinny...* It's a rock and roll movie (you kind of have to get rock and roll I think) * It's got Blondie (what more do you want? And the band does a cover of Ring of Fire...what more do you want??) * It's a romance of sorts, intermingled with silly craziness...you sort of have to like silly craziness in movies... * It's got the makings of a cult classic, IMO; You can revel in it's offbeat characters and plot and thinking is highly discouraged * Meatloaf is really charismatic in it...hard to not fall in love with his innocence and integrity as portrayed * The countless mispronunciations of Redfish by the promoter are great - they bring to mind Guybrush Threepwood in the computer games series Monkey Island...does he EVER pronounce it right? * What's her name is pretty damn cuteHere's what you won't get - * A coherent plot (like I say, thinking is optional) * Depth of any sort (don't go looking for it, it's a shallow movie, nothing wrong with that) * Mainstream appeal (some people will never like it, it's too offbeat, but fans of offbeat comedies may love it)Anyway, you know who you are. Some people like offbeat rock and roll comedies and some don't. Don't bother watching it if you don't.

The movie slows down abit after the Austin bar fight scene. But before, the movie is tight and has good dialog. I probably am biased because I am from Texas. Everything from Roy Orbinson, to the Shiner beer truck to the armadillos, and especially to Muhamed Johnson mispronouncing Redfish's name is great. Other than King of the Hill it is probably the best caricature of Texas that I have seen. Now as a band cameo movie it isn't that great but Meatloaf in brainlock is worth watching just to hear what he says.It's a classic in my opinion.

I'm probably one of about 5 people in the world who actually saw this in the theatres back in 1980, and I am absolutely thrilled it's now out on DVD. The film is a bonafide B-movie cult classic. Anyone who has ever lived in Austin, particularly in the pre-90's high-tech boom, will treasure the asthetics of the film. It has all the elements that make Austin the weird, unique town that it is. It totally stereotypes Texans, which makes it all the more funny to this Texan. People who don't understand Austin (or Texas) won't get the film, and probably won't like it.High points of the film include a Hank Williams Jr./Roy Orbison duet singing "The Eyes of Texas" (the school song of the University of Texas at Austin) to break up a bar brawl; a high-speed chase through downtown Austin involving Austin police, a Lone Star Beer truck, and a limousine; and an outdoor rock concert, the "Rock N Roll Circus", featuring Blondie singing a cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire". Notice the racetrack to the above right of the stage, which is supposed to be located somewhere in Idaho. Austinites will recognize it as Manor Downs.I recommend the film to anyone who enjoys a mindless, entertaining movie. Brain power is not needed to see this film, and is actually discouraged.

A movie that skips lightly between bright open plains and scuttling armadillos, dark bars, concert halls, and endless humor without breaking the soundtrack can only result in the dread brainlock. The only movie even close to this in spirit is "Get Crazy", which you probably won't see due to its open advocacy of psychoactive drugs.